The Dead Chronicles: Lovers, Liars and Heroes
by sophie.a.manion
Summary: In the early days of Queen Persephone's reign, the path to the Underworld saw many travelers - mortals, immortals, lovers, heroes, thieves, tricksters and shades of the dead. But the real threat to the safety and peace of the world lay below, in Tartarus, where monstrous beings stirred and whispered that the new couple's love made Hades and the pantheon vulnerable...
1. Chapter 1

**Please review and let me know what you would like to see included in the sequel to the Dead Chronicles: Our Lady of the Underworld. **

**The Dead Chronicles – Lovers, Liars and Heroes**

Theseus's head felt like there were creatures trying to break out of his skull. He swallowed, grimacing as the sandy insides of his mouth burnt his tender throat. He twitched and the rays of Helios lit up the inside of his eyes. Cursing, rolling over and out of that terribly intense light, Theseus tried to rouse himself. Everything ached.

_Too much liquor. Dionysus has cursed me this morning, _he mused.

"You alive?"

He heard his friend Perithous croak out those words and seriously considered his answer. It took a long moment for his befuddled tongue to form words.

"I guess so."

His friend's bearded face swam into focus. Perithous was an imposing figure, wide and scarred from many battles, with a scraggly face full of coarse dark hair. Theseus examined his fellow warrior and was confused to find fear paling his friend's noble face.

"Do you remember our vows last night?" Perithous asked nervously.

Vows? Theseus attempted to trace back the events of last night and was amused to find great, black gaps in his memory.

"Remind me," Theseus requested. "What vows do you speak of?"

"The bet," Perithous retorted. "To take Persephone from the Underworld."

"Gods and goddesses!" Theseus suddenly felt wide awake. The terror in his friend's eyes made perfect sense. "Did we actually vow on the River Styx to attempt to steal Hades new bride from her grisly realm?"

The wine of the night had made them both lose their senses enough to boast of their command of women. Both were heroes, warriors, men in their prime and the alcohol had gone to their heads to bolster their sense of egotism to new extremes. Theseus had joked raucously about the accounts from the immortals of the new beauteous Queen of the Underworld, who had been kidnapped by Hades and bound to him. Perithous had suggested, in a tone heavily influenced by his drink, that the noble thing to do would be to rescue fair maiden from the darkness and in her gratitude she would show them her favours. Thus, they had vowed and dared each other to win her over.

"How could we have been so stupid? Go to the Underworld and take Persephone?" Theseus wiped his brow and felt cold sweat gather, shaking his nerve apart. To insult the Lord of the Dead was not an intelligent thing to do in any circumstances.

A cloud moved in front of the blinding sun and hid that terrible sunlight. It grew icy in the room where they had both fallen asleep at the table. Their goblets stank of the vile concoctions they had downed last night. Theseus felt hunger gnaw at his gut. What he needed was some food, some water and to wash his stinking, sweaty limbs. He struggled to a sitting position and then to his shaky feet. His friend moaned and then did the same.

Staggering, glad that the daylight was blocked by the weather, the two men dragged their protesting bodies out into the elements. To Theseus's surprise, it was darker outside and a harsh wind blew. It was unseasonably icy. Then, somewhere close by, a dog howled against the winds.

Perithous stopped and stared. "Well, would you look at that!"

Theseus tried to follow his gaze. Ahead through a thicket of blackened trees lay the glint of something… Golden? Perithous was already ambling towards it eagerly. Theseus thought of trying to warn his friend but his curiosity got the better of him. He followed, strapping his shield to his back and donning his sword, just in case.

The sounds of the great dog nearby grew more distinct and sent shivers of warning up Theseus' back. Something was very wrong here. The improvised path that Perithous trod ambled downwards sharply, as though a pit had opened up in the earth. But the soil was smooth under his boots and that lure of something gold was just up ahead. Theseus sniffed at the air. Something was cooking. To his battered body, it was irresistible, that strong scent of meat and potato and vegetables and fresh bread to dip in oils. Theseus hurried to catch up to Perithous.

"What is this?" he whispered.

"Someone favours us!" Perithous crowed in delight. "For see? It is a banquet fit for kings!"

They had reached a vast golden table, set with two golden thrones. Clear, delicious water sat in huge goblets to the left side of the thrones on the table and sparkled brightly, even though there was little light where the table sat. A banquet of fresh fruits, warm breads, sliced pig and fowl, crisp vegetables and succulent cheeses was spread across this lavish table. It was too tempting.

"Perithous…" Theseus warned, but his friend was beyond all reason at the visage of all that mouth-watering food, just lying before them. The warrior seated himself heavily at the table and moments later he was feasting, moaning at the quality of the food, juice dripping down his chin. Theseus sighed and slid his sword into its hilt and seated himself on the other throne. He joined his companion. The food was fabulous and Theseus quickly disregarded his inhibitions. He poured water and downed in huge gulps. It was divine.

The huff of that great dog seemed closer but both men ignored the sound of great, dripping jaws and the snarl of its breath that the living had been allowed entry into the Underworld by its master. Soft music began somewhere nearby, a lilting, trickling sound. Theseus couldn't tear himself away from fulfilling his desperate hunger enough to wonder at it.

The shadows around them drew close and spoke in a deep, resounding voice that made them both freeze in their seats.

"I am so glad you are enjoying your last meal."

Perithous attempted to rise and confront the unknown man who threatened them so but to his horror, he soon discovered that he had become fused to the seat he had taken. The flesh of his back was glued to the back of the throne. He threw his weight forwards and gasped in pain as it held him resolutely in place. Theseus noticed and tried to do the same. His legs were stuck to the legs of the chair where he had pressed onto them to reach the food. His back was stuck. His backside and thighs had fused to the underside of the throne.

"What is the meaning of this? I am a son of Poseidon!" Theseus betrayed none of his terror as he screamed at his tormentor. "I demand you release us from these thrones or suffer my father's wrath!"

"And what of my wrath, little nephew?" The shadows stirred and suddenly Hades materialised, holding the Helmet of Invisibility under the crook of one arm. Behind him Cerberus growled deep in its three throats, begging his master to give him leave to tear out the throats of the living heroes before him. Hades lifted one warning finger to the monstrous beast and Cerberus understood himself to be warned.

Perithous yelled and yanked at his chair with all his strength. Some skin tore away and he began to bleed but he did not come free. Theseus clenched his fists and his jaw. They would be hard-pressed to talk their way out of this.

"My Lord, please forgive me," Theseus began. "I did not know it was you who held us here…"

"Silence." Hades command was almost a hiss of loathing. "I do not care for your pleas. You both threaten my wife, believe you can steal from me and your own repulsive greed led you to this table. You have consumed the food of the Underworld; your fate is in my hands."

Perithous began to beg, his eyes wider than Theseus had ever seen. He realised with a start that the war veteran was on the verge of total panic. "Forgive us our misdeeds, my Lord. We were drinking. We didn't mean it. We would have never presumed to vow such a stupid thing if we were sober…"

"You presume much, indeed, to think that grovelling at my feet will secure you freedom." Hades intoned, striding down the length of the table so that both of the mortal warriors could stare upon his stony face. The god was handsome, immaculately dressed, with piercing dark eyes and skin fairer than either human had ever gazed on. There was mercy on his visage. "You presume, perhaps, that marriage has softened my heart? That my swift hand of resolute justice has become lax after my wedding? You have discovered the depths of your folly." The God of the Underworld took his helmet and wore it once more. The shadows swallowed him in seconds and the two heroes gaped, horrified, as his voice whispered from a distance, "my wife will determine you fate when she returns from her mother's abode. Pray that after she hears my account of what you had planned for her that she will somehow find the mercy within her heart to release you from your bonds because I have no pity for men who think to kidnap women."

Screaming, shrieking their pleas to the darkness, Perithous and Theseus were left in a dark, dank corner of the Underworld with the remnants of their feast before them, unable to escape their golden thrones.


	2. Chapter 2

Persephone heard the stunning, halting notes of music and smiled to herself. Her delicate hands folded on her lap and caressed the smooth, beautiful fabric of her gown. The music pierced her through, incredibly sweet and full of gentle longing. It was music from her husband, down in the Underworld. He was saying, in the only means available to him, that he wished she'd come home.

"Soon…" She breathed into the warm air of the afternoon. "Very soon… Wait only a little longer, my love."

The music was joyous, shining with blissful rapture and then it faded softly away into an echo.

Persephone sighed and stood gracefully. Hecate had gone overboard again designing the elaborate gown she was wearing but she was grateful for its weight and warmth. It was a long trek ahead of her to re-enter her realm safely away from prying eyes. And she had to admit, she looked wonderful in it. Hecate had complimented the tresses of her doe-coloured hair with shining gold folds that collected to emphasise her slim waist and then simply fell in a tumble to conceal her feet. A white cloak wrapped around her shoulders. Her simple crown encircled her brow and twinkled in the fading light. She stared into her reflection and had to smile to think of Hades' reaction. Every time she spent a few months with her mother, he would tell her that the sun was nothing in comparison to the warmth in her smile and the feel of her body on his. That she brightened his darkness with all the splendour of the stars and moon, with all the grace and beauty of the world above his; that he had no need to venture forth provided she returned to him, as the day followed the night. He was an incredibly romantic soul, her husband. Persephone felt privileged that she alone knew of his softer, warmer, poetic and romantic side. Her King was a glorious man that she cherished profusely. She missed him every day.

But her work in the world above was important for their Underworld kingdom. Hecate, Demeter and she were busy installing the Eleusinian Mysteries – teachings that would see far more souls elevated to the status of worthy for the Elysian Fields and would populate the world with more compassionate, intelligent beings to bright about a brighter future for both the living and the dead. Demeter, who was worshipped as the fertility goddess, stood for birth and growth in the place of the Mysteries. She brought in new candidates and taught them the ways of their development, built their souls throughout the torment and struggle of their lives and granted them passage to seek new knowledge. Persephone, the goddess of the Underworld, represented the inevitability of death and judgement, the one who was worshipped for her fairness and comfort at the time of death, with the promise of renewal. Hecate, the crone and necromancer, held the key to the Mysteries past death, and the secrets of becoming an initiate ready for entry to the Isle of the Blessed in the Underworld. The Triple Goddess - as they were starting to be known as - held their teachings in the halls of Eleusis, under the new King who had been taught by Demeter herself when he was but a child. Great thinkers, philosophers, heroes and mothers – they all sought the learnings of the Mysteries. Here, truth prevailed – the raw realities of the Underworld were laid out before those worthy of such knowledge so that they may prepare for their place in it. Persephone hoped that her husband would be proud of what they had achieved so far and stunned by the number of worthy souls that passed through into their kingdom as a result of her work.

But it was time to return and she stood eagerly, waiting for her guides. Hecate was already there, impatiently staring at the setting sun. Helios' chariot was barely peeking over the horizon, he would vanish soon. The goddess heard her rise and turned, bangles and wide midnight-coloured dress flaring, to confront her Queen.

"Let's just leave Hermes and go," Hecate spat impatiently. "He is taking his sweet time. He's probably off seducing a nymph somewhere…" Her enormous eyes took in the visage of her beautiful and regal Queen. She had a look of satisfaction on her face and mischief danced in her grin. "Tell Hades not to tear that gown when he pulls it off you. It took me ages to put together and you should probably wear it again."

Persephone blushed, warm colour flooding her cheeks. Her eyes dropped to the ground. She had never been as brash or bold as Hecate and immortality had not altered that; Hecate would be the more outgoing, outrageous and darkly seductive one of the pair of them forevermore. Fabulously attired in layer upon layer of dark, imposing fabrics, Hecate was as wild, as terrifying, as exotic and audacious as ever. The sorceress was incredibly feisty and patience was not in her nature, unless she was waiting to give someone else a surprise.

Persephone had been delighted to discover that her transformation into an immortal had changed little in terms of how she felt or what she thought – her personality remained untouched. As yet, she had discovered little about her newfound divinity. But – as she kept reminding herself – it had only been a little over half a year. She wasn't going to suddenly snap and change overnight. Time would see the seasons cycle and she would no doubt grow with them.

"I am sure he will be here soon," she replied to Hecate's impatient huff.

"Who are we waiting for?" the sly, laughing voice of Hermes asked from out of the elongating shadows.

Hecate whirled, in no mood to put up with the frivolities of the wisecracking and charming god of messengers. He just laid a hand on his cap and beamed at them both, his winged sandals fluttering softly. The golden-haired jovial god had been Persephone's friend for longer than she could remember and as a child he had been one of her favourite companions, like a kind and cheeky uncle. Persephone grinned in welcome. Hecate however, was not in such a kindly mood.

"Learn to read a sun dial!" she spat out at him. "We've been waiting for you!"

"Calm yourself, crazy woman." Hermes proffered his arm out to Persephone and she took it. "I'm here. We're good to go now. Let's see the Queen home."

Hecate sighed, rolled her eyes and clicked her magnificent long fingers together and they were away, shooting through the darkness of the sky to the darkest place on earth, Persephone's realm, the Underworld.


	3. Chapter 3

Demeter hurried onwards through the night, never faltering, a strange kind of growing dread clutching her heart.

She had been hard at work in Attica, the kingdom that had shown her such kindness when she had been mad with grief at the apparent loss of Persephone. The new ruler, one of the children she had nursed, was anxious that his reign should be filled with peace and prosperity. He was quick to honour the gods and goddesses, especially Demeter who had almost completed the process to make his brother an immortal. To this day the prince of Attica was healthier, more handsome and stronger than mortals, even if he was still able to be killed. The new Mysteries of the Triple Goddess had been established quickly into his kingdom and already the people were thriving. Demetr had been well pleased at the king's efforts and her divine influence ensured that the land was fertile and lush, that the calves were fat in the field and that the harvest was bountiful.

But still, she was so afraid.

She had been dreaming - which was very unlike her - of her past. She supposed that with all the work she Hecate and Persephone had been doing she had not noticed herself fatiguing, and would often stop to rest her tired feet in the pond and let her eyelids droop in the heat. With the smell of barley and fresh grass she had been prone to drift over the past few days and with these daydream trances came visions. They were incredible in their lucidity and she had realised this night that they were her memories surfacing back to her of her past. They were full of blood and tumult, screeching and agony, terror that made her whole body go numb and a debilitating kind of disorientation as her mind seemed to float beyond the comforting safety of her body, locked out of the flesh that she could fight back with against the tide of horrors that tormented her right to her core.

They were visions of the Maw.

Demeter's earliest memories of life before the Maw were incredibly vague, as though all of the terrors she had endured had wiped any kind of recollection of her origins. She knew only what the other deities had told her about how it had all began. Kronos the titan was her father – a name that filled her with intense, crippling horror. Demeter was always forced to recall Kronos as a vast shadow of gargantuan proportions, high and freezing, looming over her with eternal eyes. Demeter didn't know who her real mother was; she had been the result of some affair of Kronos's that no one ever challenged him on. Kronos's wedded wife – the titan Rhea – only gave birth to Kronos's legitimate sons Poseidon, Hades and Zeus. They were the only real blood siblings amongst Kronos's children. The rest of those Kronos considered born of his indiscretions – Hera, Hestia and Demeter herself – thought of Rhea's boys as their brothers in the sense that they had all suffered, all despaired together and were all treated to the same process of being ripped apart and managed to pull each other back together again.

Demeter huffed past a forest, thinking idly of the strange motley crew of her family. She didn't notice that her fingers had begun to tremble in the warm, still night.

_Zeus seems to be the only one to have inherited his father's promiscuity. Thank the heavens Hades seems to have not, _she considered as she trudged on with her memories weighing heavily on her mind.

Kronos had been driven to act in a manner of unspeakable cruelty as he had heard of a prophecy that dictated that as he had thrown down his father Ouranos, so too would one of his children throw him down. He grew terrified of any deity that may be of his lineage and sought each of his children out, no matter who their mothers were, and threw them into a specially designed prison known as the Maw.

_No wonder the mortals think that Kronos literally 'swallowed' us, _Demeter thought as she sighted a village in the distance. The temple torches burnt bright and red in the darkness and she moved towards their comforting glow. _They're not far from the truth._

The young gods and goddesses were ingested into the foul pit of misery and confusion Kronos had created to deal with the prophecy. In this terrible prison, tiny newborn deities did not have a prayer. The Maw took every semblance of identity and hope and feeling from the individual it ensnared, dragging the deities' minds from their bodies and tormenting them with the feeling of disempowerment, despair, disorientation and helplessness. They could feel each other's horrors but they didn't know where one person began and the other ended until all any of the children knew was a swirling mass of nightmares and pain. In that torture they didn't realise they weren't alone, they couldn't comprehend escape and their bodies wasted away as unused husks in the black pit of misery.

They didn't know how to fight. They didn't know how to struggle. They just endured, crippling away under the tortures devised by the fears of their father.

Rhea had watched on in horror as Poseidon was locked in the Maw first. Demeter thought it likely that some of his emotional rages were due to the sufferings he had endured the longest out of any of them. Poor Poseidon was in there quite a few years before Hestia joined him. Then Demeter herself was ripped, thrown, cast in with the two other beings she would one day call siblings. She could vaguely recall Rhea's soft presence telling her who she was, calling her by the name Demeter and swearing that she would bring about their salvation. It had almost become entirely lost in amongst all the terrors but in Rhea's presence Demeter gained some semblance of the fact that she was a person, that she mattered, that there was something outside of this prison. She remembered clinging to that during the worst times. She remembered calling on Hestia and Poseidon to cling to Rhea's calm promise too, when they became almost overwhelmed. It stabilised them for a time.

Hera came after that. Once again Rhea swore she would help them escape and they bitterly clung to that. Then Hades. Rhea's wracking sobs as her little boy was plucked from her breast and cast into the Maw was a searing recollection in Demeter's mind. No wonder Hades was such a strong, silent character considering how his life had begun.

Demeter remembered. She had been so close to them all, swearing oaths of vengeance, swearing that there had to be a way out like all children do in the face of great adversity. Hades and his brother in particular in light of their mother's oath reminded them all that there was going to be an end to this terror someday and they all just had to endure until that day. They would not give up, the boys promised. Their conviction was staggering considering the ongoing cruelty of their father.

Meanwhile Rhea had been true to her word and every day they all suffered she cast her will on a stone, over and over again, melding the charm to the piece of rock until the fateful day that she was due to give birth to Zeus. She was hidden in a cave by the Curetes, minor deities and great soldiers who swore faithfully that the Queen of the World should have her son and heir safe from her husband's Maw. She gave birth in secret and took the enchanted stone to Kronos in substitute of his child. Her great will had over time cast a charm on the rock so it resembled a newborn babe. The quality of her work was enough to deceive the powerful and perceptive titan. All of her hard days of effort paid off when the titan was tricked and threw the stone – not Zeus – into the Maw.

In that stone lay all of Kronos's children's secret wishes. The moment they had realised what Rhea had managed to accomplish, Demeter remembered laughing for the first time. The heady, giddy feeling of triumph was entirely new to her and the others, who set about laughing themselves stupid until they felt something other than their constant dismay. Demeter could recall in that moment realising that they were separate entities, that they were together in this and they had the strength to resist.

_Baby Zeus, the youngest son of Rhea. How all of our hopes lay on him. I wept and begged and screamed myself through the days and nights… Oh, Zeus. You grew up hearing our frustrations, our desperate lamentations… Whatever you desired in the whole of creation was yours the instant you freed us all._

Zeus had been mightier than Rhea could have dreamt possible. He was able to safely reach in and work his will on the Maw. His strength grew and he called on his brothers and half-sisters. He gave them back their sanity. He gave them rebirth and for the first time each of the children returned to their flesh bodies and began to grow up into the formidable divine beings they would become. Because of this rebirth Zeus is considered both the oldest and youngest of the children of Kronos, a concept that Demeter and the others who had experienced it found a simple one but she knew the mortals would never fully understand.

He helped them to mature. He showed them a way through their fears. He promised redemption. In secret, the gods and goddesses overcame their prison with the help of each other and Zeus taught them warfare.

_Not much has changed, _reflected Demeter, a bit sad at the thought. _Zeus still believes force and power to be the brunt of getting everything. Hestia and I settled down to embrace our newfound peace after the Titans War. I don't think the others ever did, really. After all we struggled for, we are still paying the price for our freedom._

After the phenomenal effort involved in capturing Kronos in his own prison, tearing his mind and will and body apart and crushing them into the depths of the Maw then putting down the titan resistance, the majesty of the realms was divided between the three true brothers. Zeus the saviour took Hera, the heavens and Mount Olympus as his own, fulfilling the prophecy. Poseidon took the seas as his realm and wallowed in his power over the elements, commanding a whole host of fantastic sea beasts and ruling the water deities. Hades was given the task of the realm of the Dead, guardian of the Maw in Tartarus and ruler of the Underworld.

_This is all history, _Demeter fretted. _Why am I reliving this against my will?_

Something was very wrong and Demeter thought that perhaps it had something to do with the Maw. Tartarus was a place she never thought of if she could help it. Now her daughter, her only beautiful daughter, had joined Hades in guarding the realms against that which was imprisoned in those depths. Demeter shuddered.

_Kronos is in there, _she considered dourly. _He won't give up. He'll never give up. We never did when we were trapped in there and we were just children. The Maw may have driven him mad but in madness he is still capable of being powerful and cunning. _

Demeter hurried onwards, praying that Hermes would return to the realm above so that she may speak with him and soothe her anxieties a little. She considered asking Hestia if she was also experiencing flashbacks of their father and their imprisonment but she dreaded considering what it might mean if she was.

_Be strong Hades. _Demeter found herself reaching out with her will in a desperate way that she had not tried since Persephone vanished or she had been stuck in the Maw. _Be strong for my girl. Be strong for all of creation. Don't let Kronos see your new wife as a weakness worth exploiting. Persephone is a brand new immortal, inexperienced and raw. Guard her well, Lord of the Dead._

She reached the temple and swept herself inside, invisible so that any mortal attendants did not glimpse her fearful face. Demeter needed to clear her mind of her worries and place her faith in the Fates that spun the stories of the future. She knelt, her golden dress splaying behind her, before the altar in the dark and began to pray to Hermes to come forth before her and reassure her that her nightmares were just the nonsense of a tired and stressed mother missing her child.


	4. Chapter 4

Hades glanced up from his study desk as though someone had startled him. He blinked in the gloom, checking that his senses were giving him the correct information. A Lampade, one of the servants who attended to those who entered Elysium, bowed to him as he stood.

"She is here," Hades muttered as an explanation and the Lampade grinned. He did not need to say anything further; the servant bent to his papers and began to tidy the Lord of the Underworld's room.

Hades called forth the darkness and bade let it swallow him until he vanished to reappear beside Cerberus. The gargantuan three-headed dog barked in greeting to its master and its red glowing eyes fixed on him with affection. But Hades did not have time for a quiet word for his guard dog. He stood, ramrod straight and leaning forward, his eyes piercing through the doorway of his realm intently, just waiting, waiting…

There was a flash of astounding white light and the trio emerged, grinning. On the left was Hermes, who appeared to be halfway through a witty remark. His mouth was quirked into a smile and his caduceus tapped his thigh to emphasise his point. On the right was Hecate, the insufferable necromancer and goddess of spirits and magics. She already had her vivid eyes on Hades and a wicked smile touching her lips.

But all Hades had eyes for was the beautiful, regal figure of his wife in between the two. Persephone seemed to glow as she found her husband's longing gaze.

"I'm ho…" Persephone started to get through the word 'home' but Hades had already materialised in front of her, his arms locked desperately around her body, his lips cutting off hers from finishing the sentences as he gave her long, lingering, fierce kisses. She leant into him, pressed her arms around his neck and kissed him back. Hades got lost in the sensation of her for a long time. When they finally leant apart to breathe Hades stared at his love, his Persephone and let all of the devotion and adoration he had for her show. He'd missed her terribly, every minute of every day.

"I'm home," she said simply and he heard the unspoken _I have missed you too._

Hermes snorted, bowed low and theatrically and then disappeared, no doubt being called elsewhere. Hecate blew the couple a kiss before wrapping herself in black smoke and likewise leaving the couple to themselves.

Hades swept his wife up into his arms and revelled in her closeness. Breathless, panting, Persephone smiled and cuddled him closer. So much bliss poured through him and he just got to hold her there against his body. Hades stared at her and would not let anything break the moment for a long, long time.

"You'd think it would get easier," Persephone murmured against his cheek. "It doesn't."

"No," Hades sighed. He remembered the two Greek warriors stuck fast to their golden thrones and a sobering truth hit him – everything could be taken away at any time.

_But not right now, _he thought happily. _Right now she is here, she is mine and we are reunited._

"Even working doesn't really take my mind off missing you," Persephone admitted, her sweet voice close to his ear. She nuzzled closer and his heart raced.

"I have seen the fruitions of your labours in my brothers' realm," Hades admitted, smiling with pride that his wife had already done such a staggering amount of good for his realm. Persephone not only made him the happiest, most besotted being he had ever met but was also a huge asset to his kingdom. She was perfect.

Hades sat right on the riverbank with Persephone still clutched in his arms. Cerberus's ears flicked as his master cuddled Persephone close so that the Queen and King of the Underworld had their foreheads pressed together, seated on the ground. Persephone shifted into Hades's lap, the golden tresses of her gown falling over his armour. He smiled into her eyes.

"Never have so many Shades been awarded the eternal respite of Elysium and a home with those they cherish on the Isle of the Blessed. Never have so many of the living respected the dead," Hades whispered his pride and joy. "You and your mother and Hecate have begun an entirely new practise that gives closure and comfort to the living." He watched his praise light her up and realised that she had done all of it for him. It was humbling.

"We should move to places more comfortable," Hades suggested. Persephone tightened her grasp around his neck and a challenge entered her wonderful dark eyes.

"I'm not moving. You'll have to shift both of us," she teased lightly.

Hades grinned and the next moment they had travelled through shadow to his chambers. They fell sideways onto his bed and Persephone laughed.

"What is so amusing?" Hades asked, his hands idly making their way down her back in a way that made her shiver with delight.

"I have to get this dress off… Before you tear it otherwise… Hecate will be furious!" Persephone had to cut her sentence into bits; her husbands' antics were making her rather breathless and the laughter wasn't helping. Hades was just about to help her with this when there was an urgent knocking from outside his chambers.

_They wouldn't dare disturb unless it was frightfully important, _Hades realised. He stifled his annoyance and hugged Persephone close.

"I am so sorry love…"

"See what's happened," she told him. Hades loved that she knew it was urgent. There was no annoyance in her face, only concern.

Hades reluctantly removed himself from their embrace and strode to the door. When opened, he beheld a startled hamadryade who bent extremely low into a bow.

"Apologies, my liege," the servant gasped. "But there seems to be a disturbance in Tartarus. It lies beyond Phylegethon, my Lord. We are not sure what is going on."

Hades nodded, grim-faced. "I shall see to it immediately. Have my chariot prepared."

"My Lord," the servant bowed and scurried off. Fear made the immortal dash away. Hades turned to find Persephone waiting for an explanation. Everything about the way she looked made him ache with need.

_Why do these things happen the night I am reunited with my wife? _

Hades stored the fuming aside to deal with later. He was a king, his duty was clear. Something was not right in Tartarus.

Hades summoned his sword, the rest of his armour and his Helmet of Invisibility. They fell onto his form, materialising out of the darkness instantly. Persephone's eyes widened in concern as she saw the heavy armament he was undertaking.

"There is a disturbance in Tartarus I must see to," Hades told her in a calm voice. "I hopefully shan't be long there."

"What's wrong?" Persephone stood and moved to him, her expression beseeching. "Why are you frightened?"

Hades grimaced. "Tartarus is full of the condemned. It is a dangerous place. I have fortified it well. There should not be a disturbance issuing from its depths. With any luck, it is nothing of concern."

He glimpsed the fear on his wife's face and tried to placate her. Her gently cupped her face and stroked her hair. "I will be fine. There is nothing in my realm I cannot handle. I will come safely back to your side as soon as I have dealt with this."

"Let me come with you," Persephone asked.

Hades shook his head sadly. "It is too volatile for a new immortal, love. I have neglected in your education of the divine powers and although I can protect you, it may distract me from my duty." Persephone bit her lip and Hades reassured her. "Whilst I am gone, Daeira should begin to instruct you in the ways of utilising your new divine gifts so that should the need arise, you can accompany me down to Tartarus in future."

"Sorry," Persephone said, her face downcast at the news that she would be no help. Hades kissed her.

"Do not be sorry," he told her, staring deeply into her eyes to convince her of what he said. "It is my fault. I should have set some study for you whilst you were in the sun. I did not and that is not any of your doing. Besides…" Hades heard the rumbling of feet outside and knew his chariot was ready for the descent. "Tartarus is not a pleasant place for anyone, myself included. I seldom enter it. It is a confusing, tormented place. You should only accompany me when you have to and not a moment sooner. I would spare you seeing the eternal punishments unfolding within unless the need is dire."

"I won't be afraid of any part of our realm, Hades." His wife's stubborn courage reared up and Persephone stood straighter. "I know my duty. I will see Tartarus and the justice within. But I will study before then, so I am not a hindrance."

"You are never a hindrance, my love," Hades stressed. "I will always need you."

Persephone planted a kiss on Hades's cheek which he returned by pressing his mouth against her and relishing the taste of her tongue.

"See you soon," she quipped when he let her go, trying to hide her nervousness.

"Very soon," he promised, before smartly walking out of the door to where his chariot stood waiting. Servants handed him the reins and he shook them, getting the horses ready, checking that his Helmet was close by. Hades fumed internally the entire time.

_Why now? Why do the fiery pits seek to ruin my time with my Queen on the eve of her return? It is ridiculous. Five hundred seasons and not a whisper and now there is a disturbance? _Hades despised the timing.

He barked a command at his horses and they began to move swiftly, tugging his almighty chariot into the air. He glanced back at his House and spied Persephone standing anxiously with Daeira close at hand, watching his ascent.

_That is where I should be, _he thought glumly. _In there with her._

But Hades merely sighed and let the reins loose, giving the horses their heads to speed him off towards the flaming River Phlegethon. The hooves of his great steeds did not falter as they leapt through the burning waters of fire that would never be quenched.

Towards the mouth of the pits of Tartarus were the Fields of Punishment. Hades glimpsed some of the doomed souls who were not considered enough of a threat to merit the restrictions of Tartarus and its full hellish confinements but was each punished in a different way. Theseus and his companion were still stuck to their golden thrones before a banquet of ashes that looked like a brilliant feast. The two men were silent, morbid and wishing that they had never got so drunk and stupid. Some lost souls wandered about in these fields, miserable and lost. But further beyond, like a sudden back hole in the gloomiest pit of the world, loomed Tartarus.

Over this enormous span where the earth simply dropped away into an abyss that no one, immortal or mortal, could fathom the depth of were the gates of Tartarus. Deceptively flimsy looking with the appearance of many layers of bronze poles laid one on top of the other to cover the gigantic hole, the gates of Tartarus were the most unbreakable objects in existence. And if this was not enough to ensure that nothing ever stepped foot outside of Tartarus, either side of these gates were guarded by the Hekatonkheir giants. These hundred-handed wardens, faithful since the days of the Titan War, stood unblinkingly on duty. Hades brought his chariot low over the nearest giant and addressed him from in the air.

The giants nodded their deference to the God of the Dead and the one on the east side called out.

"There be sounds issuing from the gates, milord," the giant explained. His wide, muscular body turned and several dozen of his hundred hands gestured to the bronze-coloured gate. "Take a listen. Be it the titans that rage inside or the tormented?"

Hades steered closer and once near he heard what had the giants so worried. Through his seemingly impenetrable gates he heard, very softly, voices murmuring. He shouldn't have been able to hear anything. And what was more worrying still was that whoever was talking sounded excited. They were holding in amusement and speaking animatedly. The inmates should not have been able to discern another's presence. Hades frowned, growing concerned.

"When did you first hear this?" Hades enquired of his guards.

"Moments ago," the giant answered promptly. "I stand nigh on millennia at my post, milord. I never hear that which be coming forth now until almost minutes by the strikes of Chronos, Lord of Time."

Hades nodded as he ingested this information.

"I shall be entering," Hades told his guards. They nodded, not having expected anything else.

Hades led the horses forward cautiously, slipping his Helmet of Invisibility on as he neared. He reached the gate and touched it with one hand and then, in one quick motion, he leapt from the seat of the chariot and simply plunged through the gate as though it was the surface of a deep, dark pool. The horses nickered and made to bolt in fright but the giants soothed them and held Hades's reins in their many hands. They exchanged glances as the God of the Underworld completely vanished from side on the other side of the gates of Tartarus.


	5. Chapter 5

Persephone sat opposite Daeira, trying not to fret about Hades.

"Right, so explain to me exactly what I'm trying to do here?" She resolved to devote herself to her study and to banish the dread gnawing at her.

_Worrying about him won't help. Be patient. He'll be fine._

Daeira smiled patiently at her Queen, her palms upwards as she explained.

"The root of all power is willpower. Divine beings have within them the power to manifest their will upon the material and metaphysical world. Your ability to combat the wills of others is determined by how strong your conviction is and how to seek to manifest that will."

Daeira outstretched her hand and Persephone watched fire flicker in the immortal's palm.

"Get rid of the flame," Daeira instructed.

Persephone frowned, trying to imagine how her mother would approach this. Demeter had a simple kind of will that wanted things to grow and prosper; the way Persephone had seen immortal power all her life was quite different to what Daeira was trying to teach her to do. This was harder than simply tending lovingly to the crops of the field and letting joy bring the flowers to life. This was directed whereas her mother's intentions flowed with the seasons, everything had its time to grow then to be harvested then to start anew. This was very different.

Persephone thought for a moment and clenched her fists. The fire burnt lower in Daeira's palm but did not extinguish.

"How can you put out the fire?" Daeira prompted. "Overriding my will might be harder than you judge it to be. The trick is not to directly fight me. Work around me, not against me."

It was sound advice and Persephone reconsidered her approach. She moved forward and relaxed. The fire went out all at once. Daeira beamed.

"Well done my Lady! How did you manage that?" Daeira clapped her now fire-free hands together.

"I stopped the air fuelling the fire instead of trying to kill the flame directly," Persephone admitted. "Without air a fire doesn't burn and suffocates. It worked. Is that what you were…?"

"That's exactly it." Daeira encouraged her. "Willpower is also a battle of wits. It is sometimes not enough to be the most powerful deity doing battle. Sometimes it is the way the will shapes reality that can determine which overrides the other. Cleverness is just as important as strength of character. Which is why," Daeira brought one finger up to emphasise her point. "When you curse you must be clear and each word has weight. Every word will affect the curse so they are all important. The same is true of directing your powers. Your intent must be clear, singular and purposeful. You must know what you want and how you want it to happen."

"Why do some deities like Hecate use other stuff, like herbs or spells, to help them?" Persephone asked her handmaiden.

"In Hecate's case it is because what she strives is complex," Daeira answered. "Summoning, necromancy, controlling spirits, governing ghosts… Hard tasks for anyone. Hecate uses the powers of the natural world to direct her will and give it potency. Rituals such as burning herbs or stewing potions for example, clear the mind and soul and are a formula for enacting a certain will upon the world. But you would have to ask Hecate more about that," Daeira admitted with a soft smile. "She is a powerful being and knows more about magics than I would. I am only a nymph but I can teach you how to unleash your potential. I suspect your husband will help you develop it."

"Does Hades have as much influence here as in Zeus's realm?" Persephone asked, listening attentively.

Daeira pondered the question for a moment before responding. She let her eyes cast over the neat room in the House of Hades where they were practising. "Dominancy over a realm has certain additional effects. Hades is suited perfectly, in powers and personality, to rule this kingdom as Zeus does the world above." Daeira raised her eyebrows and looked at her Queen. "Only my Lord would know for certain, but manifesting his will where he is revered, where he is king, is much easier and certainly more effective than it would be in Zeus's realm. His majesty gives him power and authority to overrule the wills of others here. As yours does."

Persephone's head spun a little. "You mean, even someone very powerful and strong-willed has to defer to my will here? Just because I married Hades?"

Daeira nodded. "It is the power of divine right. The Lords and Ladies of a dominion are supreme rulers, they have the final say. There are few beings who can overpower their authority. The Fates, of course, govern all of creation. Zeus, the King of Kings, rules the heavens and the deities. As does Hera, that Queen of Queens. But then there is Poseidon and his Queen, yourself and Hades." Daeira noticed Persephone's dawning comprehension. "In the pecking order of the gods, you're fairly high my Lady."

Persephone chewed her lip as she thought it through. "I suppose it comes with the job."

Daeira giggled and clasped Persephone's hand. "And you are doing a fine job, my Lady! Don't worry. You will be using your station and its powers soon enough. You protect us all, you see justice done and you stand by your husband with the force of your will."

Persephone nodded to show she followed, trying to ignore the rising feeling in her gut that she was not worthy of wielding such powers. Daeira spotted the insecurity and gripped her Lady tightly by the hand.

"You belong here, with him," Daeira told her resolutely. "You must believe that in your heart for this training to work. You have to be firm in your right to wield your authority, else your will shall fall short of what you need it to be. This is your place, your kingdom. This was your fate. You deserve this. You deserve him."

"I don't think anyone _deserves_ Hades," Persephone said with a smile and hid the worry she felt for her husband. "But I love him and want to do right by him." She gathered her determination and tried to squash those insecurities that had nagged at her when she was mortal and the first time she had stepped out into the summer to be with her mother.

"Alright," she muttered, resolve building. "Let's do this."

Daeira and her kept at it for a good hour, Daeira setting challenges and Persephone learning how best to respond to them, what suited her will and her nature. She was surprised that she dealt so well with direct threats to herself, instantly and easily turning away the arrows Daeira sent flying towards her.

"Probably because you don't fear death," Daeira reasoned when they discussed it. "Fear makes the person panic, lose focus and unable to think or direct their will. A level mind and a cool temperament make for the best use of your powers. Heavy emotion might make you stronger but it can be erratic and unleash something you didn't intend." With that bit of instruction they continued, Daeira helping her Lady explore her weaknesses and strengths.

Towards the end of a few hours Persephone felt her tension for Hades eating away at her concentration and called the session to an end.

"I won't be good for anything soon," she admitted to Daeira. "I can't stop thinking about what's happening to him. Why is he taking so long?"

"He'll be fine," soothed Daeira. "He will be back when the task is done."

Persephone knew her handmaiden spoke good sense. She stood, surprisingly weary after the time spent using her powers and stretched.

"Well, I think I will go for a wander to take my mind off things."

Daeira nodded and bowed, hurrying away to let her Queen take her leave.

Persephone took herself out of the House of Hades and chose a path at random to walk alongside the Styx. She wondered whether she should go all the way to the Court of the Dead to visit the judges there or whether she should just let herself through the gardens and pavilions. But the thought of the beautiful gardens without Hades was not comforting and so she directed her feet towards the rivers at the mouth of the Underworld.

_Trust him, _she implored herself. _Hades is far more than capable to deal with anything, even those locked away in Tartarus. If it was really bad, Zeus would be down here knocking on our door. The Fates will guide Hades back to me. _

Secretly, she reflected on her prophetic dream of a baby girl and smiled to herself. _Soon, little one, I will bring you into the world. One day soon I will be pregnant with my princess and Hades will get to meet his child. _The realisation warmed her and she struck a faster pace up the river bank.

Along beside the Acheron, the newly dead clambered onto Charon's boat for their passage to be judged. Shades clustered around the Queen of them all, dropping to the ground to bow themselves in respect. Occasionally Persephone would offer them the comfort of some small words, reassuring them that their mortal trials were over and that if they had led a good life, their reward was soon in coming. The ghosts parted, letting her through.

One ghost was that of a young woman with a look of internal agony in her eyes. Persephone stopped at such a bleak figure and her compassion went out to the dead woman.

"Be at peace," Persephone urged. "There is nothing that will harm you here."

The woman wailed and clutched at her breast.

"Only my own guilt and heavy heart," she moaned though clenched teeth. "My Lady, I beg forgiveness. I have done wrong and have paid for it but it won't stop him. He will come for my soul."

"Who?" Persephone asked. "Who are you and who is coming for you?"

"My name is Eurydice," the dead woman told her. Persephone noticed with a sickening suddenness that the Greek woman was dressed in a wedding dress. It was torn at the bottom and there were also sections full of holes. "I was to be wed to Orpheus, the famous musician. Have you heard of him?"

Persephone shook her head. Other Shades grew near, listening to the tale. Eurydice gripped her elbows with her hands fiercely, as though trying to hold herself together.

"He is… He was taught by Apollo himself to make the finest music. The Muses themselves crafted his lute so that it suited his talent. He is the most incredible performer – he can enchant anything with his song. He travelled with the Argonauts and saved them many times with his talent for any form of music." Eurydice hiccupped miserably. "We loved each other. We did. I had such joy and pride in him and when he asked me to marry him I said yes without a thought." She shook herself, bitterness entered her tone. "That was my mistake. Orpheus was so great and wonderful and treated me like a princess but it was like loving the sunshine - he was just too beautiful and dazzlingly good. Everywhere he went people loved him in moments. Everyone had their eyes and ears fixed on him. I was always on one side. I was suffocating. I was alone. I felt utterly useless."

Persephone could empathise. Travelling with her mother the goddess had not always been easy. She had stood in the shadows while her mother basked in the glory of her immortality. And she had yet to convince herself that she was good enough for Hades, the incredible God of the Underworld, although they had been married over a year.

Eurydice sighed but continued. "There was a man, our friend, Aristaeus. One night when Orpheus was performing I had stayed home in the village. I could hear all the excitement and cheering for my fiancé while I stood in the dark all alone. It was a miserable time and I got feeling sorry for myself. Aristaeus was kind. He sought me out. He told me I was beautiful. He gave me sweet attention and in a moment, I lost myself." Eurydice shuddered and if she could have wept she would have. "Orpheus didn't know and I told myself it was a mistake. I was firm with Aristaeus. I told him we had done the wrong thing. I explained I intended to marry Orpheus and there was no chance for us. He left, saying that he only wished for my happiness and if it was with another man he could come to terms with that."

"Did you die on your wedding day to Orpheus?" Persephone asked.

Eurydice nodded glumly. "I was all ready to be a bride. We were so excited. I sat in my room and my family and I made offerings to the gods and goddesses. My sisters left me alone to fetch me a drink to soothe my nerves and I heard a knock. But it wasn't my sisters coming back with my wine - it was Aristaeus. I hadn't seen him in months. He was very drunk. He said he just wanted to see me in my moment of joy so that he could know I was content. He looked at me… He…." Eurydice covered her face in shame. "I kissed him… I… He ran…. I followed him, calling, begging him to let me explain… And the next thing I knew there was this stinging and I looked down and a snake had bitten me just on the ankle. I tried to call out but then everything swam and Death was kindly holding out his hand for me."

Persephone marvelled at the tragic story. "So who is coming for you?"

"Orpheus," Eurydice stated dolefully. "Death will not stop him. He told me once of your story, my Lady, when you first came to the Underworld. He said that grief of a loved one should be able to overcome Death itself, like your mother was able to do. He will try to take my soul from this place, I know it. There will be no rest for me."

Persephone stared at the wretched figure before her. "He loves you but once in this realm as a Shade, you cannot easily leave. I never really died so I was able to return to Zeus's realm." She could not touch the dead soul but she held her hands out consolingly. "You will be judged. Your guilt ends here, Eurydice. You can ever forget if you want to bathe in the waters of the Lethe, to soothe your anguish."

Eurydice bowed low to the Queen of the Dead. "Thank you, my Lady. I will await your final judgement."

"What happened to Aristaeus?" One of the other Shades who had been listening in and had very little tact blurted out. Eurydice shrugged and considered the question, seemingly unoffended.

"It's funny, but you can love more than one person at once." Eurydice was morose but also thoughtful as she considered it. "Aristaeus… I suspect he will start a new life with someone else, despite everything. But Orpheus was always adamant that I was his only, his love, his wife…" The Shade of Eurydice lowered her head sadly. "I guess he never really considered what my heart wanted and whether we actually were the best person for each other. But I did love him. Still do. It's hard not to. I made mistakes but my heart loves him."

"Find peace now," Persephone told her gently. "All will be judged and your soul will show its truths soon."

Eurydice nodded and the line of the dead progressed, she moved away towards the Courts.

She'd given Persephone a lot to think about and pondering this, the Queen of the Underworld slowly made her way back to her husband's House to await his return. She was so lost in thought and marvelling at the story she didn't spot the nymph that had watched her with hawk-like eyes from the moment she had stepped out of the House until the time Eurydice's story had ended.

Silently, Minthe stepped away, considering the Queen's back with cold lines of envy evident on her beautiful face.


End file.
